Container



Feb. 28', 1933.- J. PARKER 1,899,821

CONTAINER Filed Sept. 28, 1951 IIIIIIIIIIIIII/Il Patented Feb. 28, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

CECIL J. PARKER, 01 BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR 'I'O GROWN CORK & SEAL GOM- PANY, INC., 01' BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK CONTAINER Application filed September 28, 1931. Serial No. 565,500.

My present invention relates to improvements in sealing means adapted to be interposed between a cap and a container and is useful either where a top sealing surface is I employed or-where a groove is provided to form a side seal.

Heretofore, with lug or screw caps after sealing under vacuum, the cap could not be removed, due to the fact that the vacuum in the container permitted the atmospheric pressure to press the cap on the glass to such an extent that the friction between the rubber composition commonly employed and the glass was so great, that the cap could not be released. I

. It is an object of the present invention to overcome this difliculty by providing a sealing material having all the necessary characteristics of resiliency and permanency, but possessing, moreover, the additional advantage of creating a low coefiicient of friction between the rubber and the glass or cap.

In other words, the. present invention com prises a sealing material particularly useful with caps of the screw and lug type which require a turning movement for their application and removal. As stated, where vacuum sealin its resorted to with conventional structures it is diflicult to apply or remove the do 80 sure by the turning motion due to the tremendous downward sealing pressure of the cap. But in accordance with this invention, wherein a substantially permanent and available lubricatedsurface is provided on the sealing gasket by a lubricating material, the

cap may be readily turned or unscrewed to apply or remove it.

An essential feature of the invention is the rovision of a rubber-like composition which has included therein a lubricating material of a character which affords a permanent antifrictional or lubricating surface. The invention is thus distinguished from the use of a gasket of pa er or similar gasket which is merely provi ed with a coating of wax. Ap-

plicant provides a new combination which consists essentially of a cap, preferably a one- .piece ca of conventional type, such as a screw or ug cap, a gasket composition of rubher-like character having as an element thereof a lubricating material which'provides a permanent surface film. This film facilitates the turning movement of the cap when the same is applied and removed and enables one to obtain with a cap of one-piece construction, sealing efliciencies which have heretofore been obtainable only with two-piece caps. As will be understood, in a two piece cap, the gasket holding disc need not move when the retaining ring is turned either to ap ly or remove the cap and consequently in this type of cap a lubricating surface film is not of such importance as in a one-piece cap. It will be understood, however, that the invention is also useful in caps of two-piece construction 65 A further object of the invention is to provide a sealing means comprising a composit on containing a lubricant which, in practical application, forms as a film on the exposed surface of the seal. The sealing material, as stated, is compressible and resilient and by having a low coeflicient of friction,

the cap can be readily released without in- ]uring the seal which will yield sufficiently and then resume substantially its original contour.

I, therefore, have provided a hermetic seal for containers characterized by all of. the attributes of a first class sealing material and in addition having a lubricating action which will enable the cap to be turned on the container while under vacuum.

In the drawing: t

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view,

Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view, and

Figures 4 and 5 are fragmentary sectional views showing a lug cap and a screw cap respectively applied to a container.

e improvedrubber composition of my invention may take the form of a vulcanized sealing ring, a vulcanized liner equal in area to the area of the interior of the cap, or may be produced as a flowable mass which will be flowed into a groove in the cap or container and vulcanized in such grooves. I may also form an unvulcanized tube and out 01f rings of various sizes which will possess sufficient tackiness to stick in the groove of the cap rubber or rubber substitutes of the various by the lubricant is caused to come to the sur-.

commercial varieties available. By rubberlike compositions as used herein, I mean a composition containing ingredients ofsuch general character. In such rubber-like? I materials is incorporated an inert filler such as clay, a vulcanizin agent, preferably sulphur and an organic accelerator, preferably one which will be rapid acting such as tetramethyl-thiuram-disulphide. In addition the composition contains a lubricating material of the order of ceresin and a blooming agecpt and emollient of the order of steam: aci

All of the above mentioned ingredients are known to rubber makers and it will be understood that any desired rubber composition, vulcanizing agent, filler and accelerator may be employed.

My invention consists in adding to such rubber composition a blooming agent and a lubricating material in such amounts asto accentuate the surface film or bloom, whereface of the sealing member and form a nonadhesive, anti-frictional surface coating.

Therefore, I have used substantially six per cent of the blooming agent calculated on the rubber content, with an appropriate amount of ceresin, so that a lubricating film is formed on the sealing material which enables the cap to be easily turned on the container when subjected to high external pressure such as required when vacuum sealing is resorted to.

For instance, I may make a composition having the following ingredients:

Parts Rubber"; 30.0 Accelerator 0.25 stearic acid 2.0 Sulphur 1.0. Zinc oxide 1. 5 Clay 50. 25 Ceresin 15. 0

the composition and the ceresin from 15 to 20 per cent ;,although greater or less amounts of lltl Rubber. 7 35. 0' Accelerator 0. 3 Stearic acid 25. 0 Sulphur 1. 0 Zinc xi 1.7 Iron oxide 3.0 Clay 42. Ceresin 15.0

In place of ceresin, I may use any high melting point paraflin wax in about the same proportions indicated, and with regard" to the stearic acid, various metallic stearates ay be used, and in fact any materials which are capable of having the functions of the ceresin and the stearic acid to produce the'de'sir'ed surface bloom or film, can be incorporatedin the composition. Itwill be understood that'my improvedrubber composition is compresslble, elastic and substantially permanent and has all 'of the properties of a high quality sealing sub stance. i

I have found that when it is employed,

whether under a vacuum sealing condition or the ordinary u oses of a gasket that, although it can Ee dbformed, upon application' of external pressure, nevertheless resumes'its original shape so that the seal can housed indefinitely. v

It will be clear, therefore, that by providing a surface bloom or film, the seal or gasket the glass and the rubber composition to" the" point where the cap can be removed, the necessity for puncturing the cap is obviatedand at the same time the rubber compound will hold successfully a predetermined vacuum as long as required.

In the case of lug and screw caps as shown in Figures 4 and 5 it is well understood that" the threads on the glass container are inclined and act as cams when the cap is being-removed, so that by having a lowv coefiicient'of friction between the seal' and the. glass o'r'thei seal and the cap, this camming action will perform its true function without causing any distortion of the seal. In other words, my improved sealing material does not r'e-l quire that an external pressure he applied} such as would tear the seal, but simply'a su'fli cient pressure as will release the capinitially when the camming action will permit the cap to easily be removed.

Since no distortion of the seal results and since it is elastic and resumes its original shape, the cap may be removed and replaced as desired without interfering with the hermetic sealing property of the cap. This is important as temperature changes in a container will cause either a slight vacuum or pressure therein and unless the 'cap is sealed hermetically, there is an interchange of air which is termed breathingand is highly unde- V sirable, since it supplies oxygen to the product and permits spollage.

My invention, therefore, is applicable for use in thevacuum sealing or containers without fear of causing the occurrence of any of the resent objections, since the surface bloom or lm will at all times permit the cap to be turned or unscrewed without the necessity of puncturing the cap. My improved composition, as stated, may be applied to the groove in the cap or the groove in the container and may be vulcanized in such grooves. It may, moreover, not only be united to either of these parts, but may be united to the usual cushion of cork or fibrous material forming a composite article, and either vulcanized to the liner or subsequently vulcanized as desired. I

In the drawing I have illustrated a conventional lug cap at 10 and the sealing member at 11. The surface film or bloom is illustrated at 12.

What I claim is:

1. A container closure adapted to be applied and removed by a turning movement comprising a skirt having retaining means thereon and a top, said closure having therein a sealing gasket comprising a rubber-like composition having included as an ingredient therein a lubricating material which provides a non-adhesive anti-frictional sealing surface.

lubricating material, said composition containingstearic acid,

5. A cap of the screw or 1 type compris ing a top and a skirt rovide with retaining means and having t erein a sealing gasket comprising a vulcanized rubber composition containing as an ingredient a lubricating element forming a surface bloom of lubricating material, said composition containing stearic acid and said lubrlcating agent being a wax.

6. In combination, a container, a ca on said container adapted to be remove by turning movement and a sealing gasket between said cap and container comprising a rubber-like composition having included as an ingredient therein a lubricating element which provides a non-adhesive anti-frictional sealing surface.

7. A container closure adapted to be applied and removed by a turning movement comprising a skirt having retaining means thereon and a top, said closure having therein a sealing gasket comprising a resilient compound having as an ingredient therein a lubricating material which provides a. non-adhesive anti-frictional and permanent surface film.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CECIL J. PARKER.

' 2. A one-piece cap of the screw or lug 7 type having a depending skirt and top and having a sealinggasket comprising a rubberlike composition provided with a non-adhesive anti-frictional surface formed by a lubricating material included as an ingredient in the gasket composition.

3. A cap of the screw or lug type comprising a top and a skirt provided with retaining means and having therein a sealing gasket comprising a vulcanized rubber composition containing as an ingredient a lubricating element forming a surface bloom of lubricating material.

4. A cap of the screw or lug type comprising a top and a skirt provided with retaining means and having therein a sealing gasket comprising a vulcanized rubber composition containing as an ingredient a lubricating element forming a surface bloom of I DISCLAIMER 1,899, 8215-08011 J. Parker, Belt imore, Md. Oenmmmn. Paten'o dated February 28, 1933. Disclaimer filed April 21, 1943, by the assignee, O'roum Cork & Seal Company, Inc. v Hereby enters this disclaimer to claims 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7- of said patent.

[Oflic'ial Gazette May 18, 1948.] 

